When summer storms shoot lightning down from the sky, there are several things you can do to keep your family safe. Here is some advice from the National Weather Service:
• Stay aware of weather conditions. A simple forecast can tell you whether you need to delay outdoor activities, put away sports equipment or tools, or simply head inside to avoid danger.
• Don’t touch a plugged-in computer or TV indoors when there’s a lightning storm outdoors. Stay safe by using remote controls to operate them.
• To preserve expensive pieces of electronic equipment, unplug them before the storm hits. Once lightning starts, it’s not safe to touch those plugs or cords.
• Stay off of corded phones. Lightning can travel through a home’s wiring. It’s OK to make calls on a cell or cordless phone during a lightning storm.
• Keep a distance from anything that can conduct electricity, like power lines, barbed-wire fences and, of course, metal ladders. Avoid showering or bathing during storms, too, as metal plumbing—and the water inside it—can conduct electricity.
• Don’t go outdoors during a lightning storm, and stay away from windows and doors. Even a small leak or conduction point can let lightning into your home.
